Wrapping machine



Ap 5- Q 'w B.QBRONANDER WRAPPING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1940' v4 Sheets-Sheet 1 +44%; ATTORNEYS- Ap 1945- w.' B. BRONANVDER 4 2,374,172

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS l p w.-B. BRONANDER I 2,3 72

WRAPPING MACHINE.

Filed June 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS April 24, 1945. w. B. BRbNANDER WRAPPING MACHINE Filed-June 12, 1940 ZSheets-Sheet -4 INVENTOR NEYS H+ ATTOR a this application, and in which Patented Apr. 24, 1945 wnarr'nve' mom I Wilhelm B. Bronander, Montclair, N. J. Application June 12, 1940, Serial No. 340,075 I Claims. ('01. ca -s) This invention relates to wrapping machines.

The invention has for its salient object to provvide a simple and practical machine of the character specified, so constructed and arranged as to be adapted for use in wrapping objects of various sizes and shapes and articles that are easily crushed or deformed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described so constructed and arranged that the wrapper is formed around the article receiving and feeding members during the feeding movement thereof, the members being so constructed that the wrapper and article can be easily and readily with drawn therefrom.

Another object'of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described so constructed and arranged that the wrapper is formed around the advance end, top, bottom and sides of the article, the wrapper and article.

being then withdrawn and the open end of the wrapper being closed by-hand.

Further objects of the invention will appear. from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation somewhat diagrammatic of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the delivery end of the machine showing the table or support on which the final closing of the wrapper Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the article and wrapper as they are discharged from the folding means of. the machine;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional elevation of the package shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 shows the package illustrated in Fig.

' 8 after the tucks have been manually placed therein;

- I Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing age inwardly forming upper and lower end flaps.

the package tipped over through whereby one of the end flaps is folded against the end of the article, the other flap extending over the edge of the support:

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but show ing the remaining open flap disposed in a slot prior to the final folding thereof;-

. Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but illustrating the package moved laterally from the position shown in Fig. 12 whereby one edge of the slot will fold the remaining open flap into closed position;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the completed package; I v

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of another shape of package adapted to be formed on the machine; I

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of a. slightly modified form of package receiving and feeding member;

Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional elevation of the ing still another form of package receiving and feeding member;

Fig. 20 is a vertical sectional elevation taken at right angles to'Fig. 19; and Fig. 21 is a perspective view of another form of package adapted to be formed on the ma chine embodying the invention.

The invention briefly described consists of a machine for wrapping articles, comprising a plurality of continuously moving article receiving and feeding members, means for folding a wrapper around the advance end, top, bottom and sides of the article feeding member and article during the feeding movement thereof,

the article and wrapper being removed manually from the feeding member at the delivery end of the machine, the wrapper having an open end projecting rearwardly from. the rear end of the article, the open end being manually tucked and folded to complete'the package.

The feeding and article embracing members are so constructed and arranged that they can be contracted as the package is withdrawn therefrom, thereby facilitating the withdrawal of the package from said members.

At the delivery end of the machine where the open ended package is withdrawn from the feeding member there is provided a support and the operator tucks the projecting sides of the pack- The package is then tipped on the open end thereby folding the bottom end flap against the end of the article, the other end flap preferably projecting over the edge of the support. The package is then moved laterally whereby the unfolded flap moves into a slot and thereafter the package is again moved laterally causing the remaining open flap to be foldedto closed position.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description. I

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustratedinthe drawings the machine comprises a table or upport 25 which is mounted onsuitable frame members 23. The support 25 has openings 21 and 23 at the ends thereof, these openings being connected by a longitudinally extending slot 23.

The articles to be wrapped are fed by article receiving and feeding members 33 which are mounted on rods or pins 3! and 32 carried by a pair of endless feeding members or chains 33 and 34. 1

A bracket 35 is carried by-the rods 3| and 32 and extends upwardly through the slot 23, the article receiving and feeding member 33 being bolted, as shown at 33, to the bracket 35.

The rods 3| and 32 have mounted on the ends thereof rollers 31 which rest on tracks or rails 33 carried by a platform or support 33 (see Fig. The article receiving and feeding members 33 may have any desired form or shape, depending on the nature, dimensions and size of the article or articles to be fed thereby. Fig. 6 illustrates one form of feeding member comprising a box-like frame having a relatively rigid U-shaped rear portion 43 which is bolted to the bracket 35 and having forwardly projecting resilient plates 4| and 42 and a bottom plate 43.

When articles such as doughnuts, are to be supported and fed it is desirable to have a bottom plate 43 to prevent the doughnuts from sliding along the support 25. Furthermore, when a pair of articles, such as the doughnuts illustrated in the drawings, are to be fed, it is desirable to have a supporting structure in the package, such as the U-shaped cardboard support 34 shown in Fig. '7.

The chains 33 and 34 are supported at their ends on suitable sprockets 45, 45 and l3, 43 carried respectively by spindles 41 and 33. The

spindle 41 has a sprocket wheel 53 mounted on one end thereof which is driven by a chain 5| from any suitable source of power.

The articles are placed on the article receiving and embracing members by hand and as the conveyor chains 33 and 33 are driven the members 33 will feed the articles through the machine or to the right viewing Figs. 1 and 2.

Any suitable means may be provided for feeding and cutting the wrapping material, such as the wrapper strip 8. In Fig. 1 this material is mounted on a supply roll 55 carried by brackets 53 and is fed downwardly between a pair of feed rolls 51 and through an opening 53 in the table 25 and an opening 53' in platform 33. The cut- 1 ting mechanism comprises a stationary knife 53 and a rotatable knife 33 which is carried by a roll 3| mounted on a spindle 32.

The cutting mechanism is driven by a sprocket chain 33 which engages a sprocket wheel 34 mounted on the spindle l1 and also engages a sprocket wheel 35 mounted on the spindle 32. Spindle 32 carries on its other end a gear 33 which meshes with an idler gear 31 which is" adj ustably carried by a bracket 33 pivoted on the spindle 33 of the right hand feed roll 51 viewing Fig. 1. The bracket 33 is held in adjusted position by a nut or screw 13.

The length of the strip cut to form the wrapper depends on the size and shape of the article to be wrapped and this can be controlled by varyina the sire of the gear 33. As the larger gear is used the gear 31 can be adjusted by means of the pivoted bracket mounting thereof.

Furthermore, the entire wrapper strip mounting and feed is carried by a frame 15 which is adjustably mounted as shown at 13 and can be vertically adjusted when longer or shorter wrappers areto be used.

From the showing in Fig. 1 it will be seen that the wrapper is fed downwardly across the path of movement of the article receiving and feed- 7 ing members and article and as these members move forwardly or to the right viewing Fig. 1 the wrapper is folded beneath the bottom of the feeding member and over the top of these members. By referring to Fig. 4 itwill be seen that the wrapper is folded across the top of the receiving and feeding member around the advance end thereof and beneath the bottom. The top fold is formed by a plate 33 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is mounted on the machine above 'the path of movement of the members 33 and the bottom fold is formed between the support 25 and the lower surface of the members 33.

From the position in which the topand bottom and advance end of the receiving and feeding members are enclosed, the members 33 and articles therein pass between a pair of folding members 3i and 32 of the usual well known construction havingslots 33 and 84 which fold the sides of the wrapper over the sides of the feedin member after the ends have been tucked by any suitable well known tucking mechanism.

Fig. 8 illustrates the condition of the package after the advance end, top, bottom, and sides have been enclosed. the rear end of the wrapper being open. When a member 33 has reached this position or the position illustrated particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the open ended package is manually pulled forwardly from the member 33 and during this operation the side plates 4| and 32 can be contracted or pinched toward each other to facilitate the removal of the package.

The members 33 move downwardly after the packages have been removed therefrom through the opening 23. and the operator places the packages on a support or shelf 33, as shown in Fig. 9,

and tucks the sides of the open end of the package, as shown at 35 and 33 in Fig. 13. This leaves a lower flap 3'! and an upper flap 33 projecting rearwardly. The package is then tilted through 90 from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position show-n in Fig. 11, whereupon the flap 31 is folded against the end of the package and the flap 33 extends downwardly over the edge of the shelf 33: The package is then moved laterally whereupon the flap 33 enters a slot 3|, as shown in Fig. 12. Thereupon the package is again moved laterally or at right angles to the position shown in'Fig. 13 and during this movement the remaining open flap 33 is folded to closed position larly designed for wrapping articles in material" trade as Cellophane.

Self-sealing Cellophane may be used and 'suit-' able heaters, such as is shown at 94 in Fig. 2, may be utilized. The open end of the wrapper may also be sealed by heaters, if desired.

As hereinbefore explained, any desired form or shape of article receiving, embracing and feeding members may be used. Figs. 16-18 inclusive, illusformed of regenerated cellulose known to the trate a feeding member comprising a plate I which is secured to the bracket 35 and has a vertical transverse wall IOI. Side plates'I02 and I03 are secured to the plate I00 and to lugs I04 carried thereby, the front ends I05 and I00 being 'contractable to release the package. These plates .can be contracted by hand. Stationary rollers I0! and I08 carried by a bar I09 are engageable with portions no and m of the plates in: and

I03. As the feeding members move forwardly the rollers engage the upwardly extending portions 0 and III and cause the front ends of the members designated I05 and I06 to expand or spread from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 16 to the position shown in dotted lines.

This expansion or spreading ofthe plates per-' mits easy and ready insertion of the article between the plates of the article receiving and feeding member.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 19 and 20, the simpler form of feeding member is illustrated in which a plate H5 is bolted to the bracket 35 and has secured thereto a pair of resilient plates orstrips H6 and I". These plates embrace an article I I8 disposed therebetween and feed the article along the support 25. The wrapper is folded around the front end of the feedingmember and-is removed therefrom in the manner hereinbefore described after the wrapper has been folded across the bottom, advance end, top and sides of the feeding member and article. Thereupon the open rear end of the wrapper or package may be closed in any suitable manner, as by crimping the open end, as shown at I20 in Fig.2l.

Operation The operation of the machine may be briefly summarized as follows: As the article receiving and feeding members move upwardly through the opening 21in the support 25 the articles to be wrapped are placedtherein and the feeding member continues to move forwardly engaging the wrapper which is fed across the path of movement thereof. The wrapper is thereupon folded across the advance end, top and bottom of the feeding member and article and the front end tucks are placed therein formed in the usual well known manner. When the feeding member reaches the position at the end of the feeding movement thereof, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, the operator manually reage back away from the wall 93, causing the flap 88 to be folded to closed position, as shown in Fig. 13.

Since the wrapper is folded around the article embracing or feeding member the wrapping of the article is facilitated regardless of the size or shape thereof.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention, have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wrapping machine comprising means for feeding articles to be wrapped, said feeding mean including members having U-shaped portions for embracing the articles, means for feeding a wrap-.

per across the path of movement ofsaid members and the articles therein, means for folding the wrapper around the front, top, bottom and sides of the members during their feeding movement, and means for spreading said, embracing portions of the members to facilitate loading of the articles in the feeding members. 2. A wrapping machine comprising. a support,

endless carrier means, a plurality of expansible able 'parts of article feeding and wrapper formingmeans, folding a wrapper around the feeding. means andarticle to form an open ended bag,

contracting said contractable parts of the feeding means and manually stripping the bag and articles from the feeding and forming means.

4. The method of wrapping an article which consists of disposing an article between contractable parts of continuously moving article feedins and wrapper forming means, folding a wrapper around the feeding means and article to form an and the side folds are moves the package from the feeding member, contracting the embracing members II and 42 if desired to facilitate this removal.-

. The operator then tilts the package through 90 or from the position shown in'Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 11, thereby folding the bottom flap 01. The package is then moved laterally causing the remaining den to enter the slot II and the operator then moves the packopen ended bag, contracting said contractable parts of the feeding means and manually stripping the bag and article from the feeding and forming means. a

5. The method of wrapping'an article which consists of continuously feeding an article and blank in a predetermined path of'movement and v during such movement folding the wrapper blank around the advance end, top, bottom and sides of contractable feeding means and article, thus forming a wrapper, open at the rear end thereof,

. contracting the feeding means and manually stripping the wrapper and article therein from the continuously moving feeding means and manually tucking and closing the open end of the 8 1'. P W B. BRJONANDEB. 

